


Mundane With Wings

by malecxrune



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Hurt, Izzy is a caring sister, M/M, Malec, Malec Fluff, Mild Smut, Restaurant Date, Wing Kink, Wingfic, cafe date, winged!Alec
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 02:15:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11819115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malecxrune/pseuds/malecxrune
Summary: After Alec goes on a date with a "mundane" named Magnus, he falls head over heels for him. What Alec doesn't realize is that Magnus is actually the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Will they find out the truth about each other, or remain clueless?Or: All Shadowhunters have wings (because I couldn't help myself - wings are insanely hot on Alec).





	1. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Alec goes on a date with a "mundane" named Magnus, he falls head over heels for him. What Alec doesn't realize is that Magnus is actually the High Warlock of Brooklyn.
> 
> Or: All Shadowhunters have wings (because I couldn't help myself - wings are insanely hot on Alec). Also neither of them realize that the other person is a mundane, until something happens.

_Ding_.

Alec was sitting at the local café when his Tinder date opened the door. The bell that was attached to the glass door sounded. The man - Alec's date - was dressed in sinfully tight leather pants that hugged every curve, a black silk shirt that was buttoned down, exposing a bit of smooth, caramel skin, and a maroon vest. Dozens of ornate necklaces hung down the man’s chest, and many shiny rings adorned his fingers. He walked gracefully between the tables, looking for Alec, his eyes skimming the café.

To say the man was beautiful would be an understatement.

Alec caught his date’s gaze and smiled invitingly. The beautiful man sat down across from Alec, leaving little space between them.

“Hey, I'm Magnus,” Magnus smiled at Alec, his warm brown eyes scanning Alec. Any coherent thoughts that Alec previously had immediately disappeared. For some reason, the name sounded oddly familiar.

“Alec,” Alec managed to form a single word. At least I didn't stutter my own name, he thought to himself. A waitress with long, brown hair came over to their table.

“Would you like to order something?” she asked, holding a small clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. Alec and Magnus exchanged an awkward glance, neither of them speaking up as not to seem rude if the other person got interrupted. Unfortunately, their politeness only hurt them, since they both said, “I'll have a latte,” and “black coffee, please,” at the exact same time.

Both of them immediately stopped talking, and Alec let out an uneasy laugh. “Go ahead,” he said, gesturing towards Magnus.

Magnus partially smiled and averted his gaze from Alec to the waitress, who was standing awkwardly. “I'll have a vanilla latte,” stated Magnus, and the waitress scribbled his order.

“Could I please get a black coffee,” Alec said politely. He folded his hands, running his knuckle with his thumb nervously.

“Cream or sugar?”

“No, thanks,” Alec looked at Magnus, who seemed oddly calm. Although, Alec shouldn't be surprised - such a handsome man probably went on dates all the time and never got rejected. _But if he never gets rejected, then Magnus should have a boyfriend, not be single. Maybe he's cheating? Or maybe he's bisexual and has a girlfriend? Or, maybe he's experimenting whether or not he's into guys? I mean, that's kinda what I'm doing, but at least he's a mundane and not a Shadowhunter or downworlder. The Clave would probably cut off my wings if I dated a downworlder who is a man_.

Alec barely noticed the silence due to his internal conflict. During the silence, Magnus gazed at Alec calmly, his chin resting on his hand. Alec cleared his throat, snapping out of his daze.

“Sorry, I just-“

“Was deep in thought?” Magnus interrupted, grinning.

“Yeah,” Alec grinned back, noticing how Magnus's nails were painted burgundy. _Possibly bisexual_ _?_ He let his gaze drift up to Magnus's eyes, which were surrounded by a dusty red-brown. He felt as if he could just fall into the man’s warm chocolate eyes and never come back.

“So, tell me, what do you do for a living?” Alec was struck by how mundane the question was. He had to remind himself that the question was posed by an actual mundane, so it shouldn't have surprised him to the point where his mind went completely blank.

“I'm a- uh, a cop,” Alec stuttered. It was the first thing he could think of. Not wanting any other question about his “job”, he asked Magnus what he does for a living.

“I'm a fashion designer, but I also translate languages as a sort of hobby,” Magnus answered. Only half of what he said was a lie.

That sunny afternoon, the two “mundanes” exchanged many smiles and questions, laughing occasionally and stealing glances when the other wasn't looking. It was seemingly perfect - a simple date with a man to know whether or not Alec was actually attracted to guys. Alec didn't want any lingering thoughts of the beautiful man after he left the café, waited for Magnus to walk out of his view, and glamour himself. However, as Alec made his midnight black wings appear and flew up above the city, he couldn't help but keep thinking about the way Magnus's eyes crinkled when he laughed, or the way he always seemed to be fascinated by whatever Alec was saying, even if it was just a jumble of stuttering phrases.

Alec let the cool air clear his thoughts, flying high above Brooklyn; lights twinkled beneath him. Once he spotted the institute, he folded his wings, plummeting down to the ground, only to extend them when there were 5 feet left before he would hit the ground. Although it was dangerous, Alec always pushed his flying skills to their limits. Once, when he was six years old, he climbed up onto a tree (despite all of Izzy’s pleading for him to come down) and jumped down, feeling the air beneath his wings for the first time. It was exhilarating. That is, until he hit the ground, breaking most of the bones in his right wing. He couldn't move - all he could do was cry in pain, and wait until his furious mother came rushing towards him, her anger fading as she saw her son lie on the ground and scream in pain.

For most of that night Alec was unconscious, being put under a sleeping spell so that the painful healing process would be less agonizing. He remembered a tall man wearing more necklaces than he thought was humanely possible standing over him while he lied in bed, and emitting blue sparks from his fingertips. After a brief moment of warmth enveloping him, he went to sleep.

The warlock that saved him that night somewhat resembled Magnus, but Alec knew that Magnus is a mundane - right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought and whether or not I should continue this fic   
> <3


	2. Under the Moonlight

Alec was tapping his pen against the wooden table distractedly. He was supposed to be paying attention to what his mother was saying (something about Valentine? Alec couldn't care enough to actually listen) since the meeting was discussing major issues and events, but all his thoughts kept going back to a certain glittery man. _Magnus, Magnus, Magnus._ The name sounded in his head like a prayer, blocking off any useful thoughts that weren't about warm, brown eyes, soft spiked hair, or smooth, caramel skin. Oh, how Alec wanted to feel Magnus's fingertips against his feathers and the bumpy feeling of Magnus's rings as he wrapped his hand around Alec’s—

“What do you think, Alec?” Maryse half-yelled, noticing that Alec was not paying attention whatsoever.

“Uh, yeah, I- uh, I agree completely,” Alec had no clue with what or who he was agreeing with. Everyone fell silent.

Maryse furrowed her eyebrows. “You agree that Sebastian is not a threat to the Clave?” Alec mentally slapped himself.

“No, of- of course not, Sebastian is obviously a major threat to the Clave,” Alec tried his best to sound like as if he actually cared about the matter at hand, but failed miserably.

Maryse sighed and rolled her eyes. “I highly recommend that you pay attention to what's being discussed, rather than relishing in your thoughts.” She was clearly annoyed.

Blood rushed to Alec's cheeks, turning them crimson. He could feel the stares of everyone in the room burning through him. He looked down at his pen, avoiding the stares.

➰

Walking to his room after practicing flight techniques for an hour, Alec felt his phone vibrate.

**Magnus, 4:54:  
I really enjoyed spending time with you yesterday :) Would you like to go on another date tomorrow?**

Alec's stomach did a flip when he saw the word ‘date’. Are we officially dating? He couldn't believe that such a beautiful guy wanted to go on a second date with him. After all, Alec is awfully clumsy and boring, whereas Magnus is extravagant and carried with him a certain level of confidence that invited respect without demanding it. Even though Alec is a Shadowhunter, making him superior to mundanes, in Magnus's presence he felt like he didn't deserve to be able to spend time with such a handsome man.

**Alec, 4:56:  
Yeah, so did I. I'm free this evening, so we could go to a restaurant, if you'd like to?**

Alec opened the door to his room and went into the cramped bathroom, tugging his clothes off. He ruffled his wings and stretched the sore muscles before climbing into the shower, adjusting the water so that it was almost scaldingly hot. The water washed over him, soothing his muscles but barely affecting the water-resistant feathers. As he brought his left wing towards the front, combing it with his fingers, a black feather fell off. He was used to it; shedding feathers was natural. He bent down and picked up the feather, examining it. Under the bright light, shades of blue were visible, and when mixed with the smooth black parts of the feather that weren't exposed to light, they created an array of colors that can only be seen in the sky at midnight; it was mesmerizing.

➰

“A mundane, huh?” Catarina said, raising one eyebrow. Magnus swished the sangria in his wineglass and smirked.

“A very good-looking mundane,” memories of his Alec's first date filled his head. “With hazel eyes, broad shoulders, and a perfect body. Speaking of which, under all that clothes, I can only imagine how—”

“Yes, I've heard you rant about him to me over the phone multiple times,” said Catarina, clearly annoyed. “But, even though my ears are basically being fried off by your rambling, I'll continue listening because I'm a loyal friend. Well, and because you could turn my legs into tentacles.” Magnus laughed at the visual of Catarina with long, blue tentacles. She looked offended in a joking way, so Magnus covered his mouth with his hand in a failed attempt to conceal his laughter.

“I swear, if you do that, I'll turn all your alcohol into non-alcoholic drinks,” Catarina warned. Magnus made an exaggerated gasp.

“You would not!” Magnus gaped.

“Oh I definitely could if I wanted to,” Catarina smirked and did a peculiar movement with her hand that Magnus recognized as doing magic. He tasted his whiskey to see if Catarina actually made it non-alcoholic. The warm, burning sensation that always followed after drinking whiskey was absent. Magnus faced the other warlock, his expression annoyed and unimpressed. He sighed.

“Remind me why I'm friends with you?” Magnus asked sarcastically.

“Because you love how loyal and kind I am,” Catarina answered, even though the question was rhetorical.

“Well, you're not wrong,” Magnus admitted. “Also, another thing I love about you is how you can listen to me talk about Alec all day. Speaking of whom, I invited him on another date tomorrow.” Magnus smiled.

“You planning on getting in his pants?” Catarina asked jokingly.

“No, it's not like that,” Magnus said. “I mean, we haven't even kissed yet, for Lilith’s sake.”

“Oh, so you're actually dating a mundane?” asked Catarina, surprise laced in her question. “It's not just casual sex like the last time you went on a date with a mundie?”

“No, I actually really like Alec,” Magnus stated.

“In that case, lets hope he won't break your heart,” Catarina smiled sadly.

“Yeah,” Magnus didn't think he could live if he got his heart broken one more time.

➰

After landing gracefully on the sidewalk, Alec glamoured his wings and runes and walked up to a nice-looking Japanese restaurant. Magnus told him that he made reservations, so Alec should just ask for a table under Magnus's name. A polite waitress escorted him up a flight of stairs, leading him up into an elegant outdoor area. Despite the cool weather, it was actually really nice, and the nearby heating lamps set a nice temperature. Under the glass structure, there weren't many people that were eating outside. Finally, he noticed Magnus sitting at a table in the corner, and a candle was lit in the middle of the small table, casting light onto the beautiful man’s face.

“Hey,” Alec sat down on the metal chair, scooting closer to the table. His legs accidentally touched Magnus's. A blush spread through his face, reaching his ears, and he bent his legs at an awkward angle to avoid contact.

“Alexander, hi,” Magnus tested out the name. Alec’s lips curled up slightly at the use of his full name.

“This is a nice place,” Alec said, motioning slightly towards the other tables. He noticed that Magnus was wearing a dark smokey eye with gold, glittering eyeliner. His lightly spiked hair also had golden glitter at the tips.

“Yeah, I come here for the Alaskan roll - crunchy, and with real crab,” Magnus picked up his menu, examining it.

Despite how calm he looked, Alec was sweating and his heart was beating as if he were running. Magnus always had a strange effect on Alec and his ability to function. Alec quickly averted his gaze once he realized that he was staring at Magnus's hands. _How is it possible for someone to have such perfect hands?_

Alec blushed lightly and looked at the menu. Most of the dishes were unfamiliar to Alec, so when the waitress came over he ordered a simple California roll. Magnus, along with the Alaskan roll and miso soup, ordered an expensive wine.

“So, tell me, Alexander - do you have any siblings?” Magnus played with one of his rings that had ‘MB’ written on it in

“Yeah, I actually have a younger sister named Izzy and a little brother named Max,” Magnus blinked a few times in shock. _Izzy and Max… Lightwood?_ _That can't be right. Alec is a mundane._

Magnus licked his lips, wondering if his question would seem weird. “Random question, um, what's your last name?”

Alec scrunched his eyebrows. He could just say what his last name is, and even though he trusted Magnus more than a person should trust someone after 1 date, his gut told him he should lie.

“Jones. Alec Jones,” Alec avoided eye contact and instead looked at Magnus's glittering necklaces. Magnus looked relieved, for some reason.

“Alright, Alec Jones, what are your siblings like?” Magnus asked. Alec told him how fierce and protective Isabelle is, and how Max loves comic books and could read them for hours on end. When Alec asked Magnus about what his family is like, Magnus looked down at his hands sadly.

“My mother, she killed herself when I was a little boy after she realized that I was conceived through rape, and my father tried to kill me.” Alec reached across the table and placed his hand on Magnus's, gently rubbing circles with his thumb. Magnus's hand was as smooth and warm as Alec thought it would be.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,” Alec looked at Magnus, his eyes filled with care and compassion.

“It's ok, you couldn't have known, and it all happened a long time ago,” Magnus reassured Alec. Magnus put his thumb on top of Alec's, letting out a small smile.

Moments later, the waitress brought their food and wine, and Alec quickly pulled his hand away. He wasn't used to displaying affection in public, even though the waitress clearly couldn't care less. Everything looked delicious. Alec poured himself some soy sauce into a small dish and dipped his his sushi into it before eating it.

“Wow, this is delicious,” Alec said, reaching for another piece of the sushi roll with his chopsticks.

“I'm glad you like it,” Magnus brought a spoonful of miso soup to his lips and drank it. “I went to many Japanese restaurants in New York, and I'd say that this is one of the best ones.” Alec looked at Magnus's Alaskan roll and was tempted to try it.

“Um, could I- uh, try a little piece of your sushi roll? I mean, if that's ok,” Alec blushed, his cheeks turning pink.

One side of Magnus's lips quirked up. “Only if I get to feed it to you,”

Alec’s cheeks turned even more red. “Uh, ok.” He laughed awkwardly.

Magnus took a piece of the roll in between his chopsticks, dipped it in Alec's soy sauce, and put it in Alec's open mouth. Magnus wasn't used to doing such stupidly sweet and innocent things with other people, much less such attractive people.

For about an hour, they ate and talked, enjoying each other's company. However, the evening passed much faster than Alec would have wanted it to, so he was glad when Magnus offered to walk around Central Park.

~~~~➰

“So you said you translate languages as a hobby… um, how do learn so many languages?” Alec asked, his shoulder lightly rubbing against Magnus's as they walked. He could feel the cool air through the thin fabric of his shirt, and he regretted not bringing a jacket.

“Well, I used to travel a lot, still do, and I just picked up on different languages wherever I lived,” Magnus's hand was swaying at his side, tempting Alec.

“Oh, wow. Uh, what languages do you speak?” Alec turned his head towards Magnus, and he noticed how the moonlight reflected off of the golden glitters in Magnus's hair.

“I speak Spanish, English, Indonesian, and French fluently, and I know bits of Russian, Polish, and Latin.” Magnus smiled smugly.

“That's- that's really impressive. I only speak English, and as you may have noticed I'm not that great at speaking full sentences without stuttering.” Alec smiled shyly and looked down. Magnus looked at Alec, his eyes full of adoration.

“I think your stuttering is adorable, Alexander.” Alec blushed adorably, biting his lip. He felt Magnus's hand holding his, and he intertwined their fingers. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through his body, and he actually really enjoyed the touch.

They walked around the park, their joined hands swinging at their sides, and after half an hour they arrived at the edge where the park meets the road. Alec turned to Magnus, holding both of the man’s hands in his.

“I guess I'll see you soon,” Alec looked down at Magnus's hands, and saw in awe how the light from the nearby lamppost reflected off of the rings, causing them to appear shiny and glittery.

“Yeah, I'll miss you until then,” Alec looked up and made eye contact with Magnus. “Alexander, I really enjoyed spending time with you this evening.” Magnus's warm brown eyes were full of sincerity.

“So did I,” Alec smiled shyly, unsure of what to do or say next. Slowly, Magnus leaned in and pressed his soft lips to Alec's cheek. Alec's already-pink cheeks turned red.

“Good night, Alexander,” Magnus let go of Alec's hands, turned around and began walking the other direction.

Alec stood there, shocked that Magnus - beautiful, glittering Magnus - kissed him on the cheek. However, Alec wanted more. He wanted to feel Magnus's delicate lips against his, so before he could overthink what he was about to do, he ran up to Magnus, grabbed his shoulders, and kissed him on the mouth passionately. Magnus froze for a second, but kissed Alec back with equal intensity a moment later.

Magnus placed his hands on Alec's hips, pulling the ‘mundane’ towards him. Alec slipped his tongue into Magnus's mouth and ran his hands up to the other man’s neck. The kiss deepened, and Alec felt Magnus's grip getting tighter, creating less space between them.

Once Alec felt that he would faint due to the lack of air, he pulled back. Magnus chased his lips, but also pulled back. They stood there, under the moonlight, regaining their breath. Alec let go of Magnus's neck and stepped back, smiling shyly as if he didn't mean to kiss Magnus.

“Good night to you too, Magnus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of this chapter <3  
> I'll upload the next chapter within a week or less


	3. Alcohol on His Tongue

“Thank you for coming here, Mr. Bane,” Maryse said, walking towards one of the Institute’s rooms while Magnus trailed behind her. “Max broke a lot of bones in his left wing, and he needs warlock magic to be able to fly again.”

They stopped in front of an ordinary door that looked exactly like every other door at the Institute. Normally, Magnus wouldn't help Nephilim, but he was offered an exceptionally good amount of money. Maryse opened the door and stepped into the room. Surrounded by bloodied bandages and cloths lied Max. He was partially conscious and shaking from shock, clearly under the influence of a pain medication. His gray wing, which was caked with scarlet blood, was bent at an unnatural angle, draping over the small bed.

“Are you a warlock?” Max’s voice was raspy, and he looked at Magnus through half-lidded eyes. He tensed visibly.

“Yes, I'm here to heal your broken wing,” Magnus approached the bed cautiously. He heard the door close softly. Max’s eyes were full of distrust as he tried to back up away from Magnus.

“I know how you warlocks are,” he said, his words drenched with poison. “You cut off our wings and put them on display.”

Max's words ripped through Magnus's heart. He should have expected to hear such hateful things coming from a prejudiced Nephilim that probably never even met a warlock. Nonetheless, the awful truth about warlocks cutting off Nephilim wings hurt Magnus more than he thought they would. Generally, whenever an adult made rude remarks, Magnus would brush it off as if it were nothing; however, it was heartbreaking to see a young child being affected by the Clave and it's twisted view of downworlders.

Magnus sighed sadly. “I swear on Lilith that I have never cut off a Nephilim’s wings,” Max seemed to relax slightly, but his eyes were still skeptical.

Magnus diverted his attention to the Nephilim’s broken wing. A blue stream of sparkling smoke flowed out of Magnus's fingertips, healing the wing. Max winced as the bones rearranged themselves. After a few more minutes of pained whimpering and blue smoke, the wing was healed completely.

“Your wing is healed, but I wouldn't recommend flying for at least a few more days,” Magnus’s smile was insincere as he turned around and walked out of the room. As he was entering the hallway, he accidentally bumped shoulders with a Shadowhunter who wore 7-inch heels, crimson lipstick, and who’s dark hair rested on her chest in loose waves.

“Sorry,” the Nephilim looked up. “Oh, by the Angel, you're Magnus Bane! It's such an honor - I absolutely love your parties.” She held out her manicured hand. Magnus took it and gently kissed her knuckles. He remembered seeing her a few times at one of his many parties, but never realized that she was a Shadowhunter since he only ever invites downworlders.

“Tell me, darling, what's your name?” the corners of Magnus's mouth quirked up.

“Isabelle, but you can call me Izzy,” she smiled back. Magnus tensed in realization that Izzy is a Lightwood - daughter of Robert and Maryse. Despite hating them for many decades, he decided that Izzy is nothing like her parents. Lilith, she's wearing a minidress, heels, and goes to downworlder raves.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Magnus refocused his attention. “Tell your parents to send me a cheque.” He gave a small nod and walked down the hallway, not noticing how Alec was standing a mere 10 feet away with his back turned towards the warlock.

_➰_

“Max! How’s your wing, buddy?” Alec knelt down beside his little brother, eyes full of care. There was still a lot of blood everywhere, but Max seemed relaxed and free of pain.

“It's healed,” he replied matter-of-factly. “A warlock fixed it.” His words were full of disgust.

“Well, that's good,” Alec paused for a moment, thinking. “See, Max, some warlocks aren't bad.” _Although most of them are_ , he thought to himself.

“The only reason that half-demon helped me is because mom and payed him,” Max glared at Alec, his jaw clenched.

Alec sighed in defeat. “You're not wrong,” he said honestly. There was no point in lying to his smart younger brother.

Alec knew that warlocks cannot be trusted, since all they care about is money and priceless jewels. At least, that's what the Clave told everyone after downworlders started cutting off Nephilim's wings and selling them on the black market. Since then, relationships between Shadowhunters and downworlders were looked down upon, which was exactly why he couldn't understand how anyone could ever date a warlock, much less love one.

➰

  
**Magnus, 4:31:  
I'm free this evening, wanna come over? ;)**

Alec smirked and texted back.

**Alec, 4:32:  
I would love that. Just send me your address and I'll come over at around 7, if that's ok?**

After receiving a reply, Alec went to the training room to clear his mind before his date. _Date? Are we dating? Should I tell Izzy?_ He knew that Izzy would be accepting of him dating a man, but he couldn't risk anything.

He wrapped his hands with a tight bandage and began punching the leather sac, enjoying the repetitive motion and slight sting that spread through his hands.

_One. Two. One. Two._

The punches gave him something other than Magnus to focus on, and he continued his movements for quite a while.

“Hey big brother,” Izzy’s voice pierced through his reverie. “What's on your mind?” Alec usually liked that his sister knew him better than anyone, but at that moment it felt like she was reading his mind. She walked up to the punching bag next to his, wrapping her knuckles.

“Uh, nothing,” he knew that his answer was weak and that Izzy would just question him until she got some real information. He paused his punches and ran his fingers through his sweat-slicked hair.

Izzy tilted her head in disbelief. “Nothing, huh? Is that why you've been throwing punches for the last 10 minutes and never pay attention in meetings?” she bunched her dark hair and put it into a ponytail. “Or is it… someone?” she smirked, causing Alec's face to turn bright crimson. _Damn it, Izzy._

“I don't know what you're talking about,” said Alec in the most monotone voice he could muster. He focused back on his punches.

“Oh, come on, what's he like?” Alec immediately panicked upon hearing ‘he’ instead of ‘she’. “Is he shorter than you? Does he have nice abs? Are his clothes—“

“Why do you assume that I like guys?!” Alec turned towards his sister, anger radiating off of him. “It's not like I'm-I’m—“

“Gay?” Izzy’s eyes were full of care and empathy despite Alec’s obvious fluster. “It's ok, Alec. I know. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not when you're with me.” She placed her hand on Alec's tense arm, and he sighed in defeat and relief.

“I'm not telling you his name, but he has brown eyes, black hair, and he's an inch or two shorter than me,” he looked at Izzy and saw that she had the biggest on her face that he's ever seen - one that's full of pride and care.

“I'm happy for you,” she rubbed his arm.

“Thanks, Iz,” he smiled lightly. He never thought that anyone would be so accepting of his sexuality, since he himself couldn't accept that he's… gay. He knew that his parents would never accept him since they're very conservative, but he decided that he wouldn't let his parents ruin what he has with Magnus. _What if they find out that I'm dating a man who's a mundane?_ He directed the stream of worries into the punching bag, his punches more forceful than before.

➰

Alec climbed the stairs to Magnus's loft, his heart racing. He ran his fingers through his messy raven hair - a nervous habit he's had since forever. Izzy always teased him about it, saying that he has a ‘hair kink’, to which Alec would reply that he doesn't, even though it actually calms him down and he enjoys the feeling.

He stood in front of Magnus's door, gathering up himself. He arrived 10 minutes early, and now he was unsure if it was a mistake of coming so early. Would he interrupt Magnus in the middle of something?

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

He knocked on the door. From inside, Alec heard bottles clanging and an angry ‘meow’. _Does Magnus have a cat?_

After a few moments of nerve-wracking anticipation, the door opened, revealing a beautiful, glittering man whose maroon silk shirt was unbuttoned almost all the way, revealing a generous amount of caramel skin.

“Hello, Alexander,” Magnus's voice was velvety smooth. Alec tore away his eyes from the man's exposed chest, blush spreading through his cheeks.

“Hey,” Alec slid into the loft and glanced around. Everything screamed of Magnus - expensive and timeless, colors clashing but forming a beautiful medley.

“Wow, this is- it's really nice,” he took off his shoes, placing them beside Magnus's leather boots.

Magnus smiled invitingly, closing the door behind Alec. He walked to the mini bar, swinging his hips slightly, and poured a colorless drink into two martini glasses.

“What would you like to drink?” asked Magnus, taking out two bottles of liquor. Alec noticed a calico cat lounging on the red couch, it's paws extended.

“I don't really care,” Alec walked over to the couch and sat down gently as not to disturb the peaceful creature. “Surprise me.” He didn't notice Magnus's sly smile as he placed a gentle hand on the cat’s neck and stroked down it's spine. The sleeping cat woke up, twitched it's ears and raised itself. It then proceeded to spring off the couch and run into the hallway. Alec sighed, looking up to where Magnus was standing. From his angle, Alec had a nice view of Magnus's ass, which looked spectacular in tight leather pants.

Beside all the bottles that Magnus took out from the liquor cabinet was a vial filled with a glowing, shimmering blue liquid. _Glowing… like magic._ Alec reminded himself that Magnus is a mundane.

Magnus walked over to Alec, two drinks in hand, and handed one over to Alec. Alec cracked a smile as Magnus sat down next to him, leaving a comfortable amount of space between them. The light amber drink that Alec took a sip of tasted somewhat sweet, and with a hint of citrus. Alec cringed at the burning sensation but took another sip of the drink anyway.

“So, you have a cat?” Alec asked, putting his drink down.

Magnus smiled and said, “Yes, his name is Chairman Meow,” he proceeded to make kissing sounds, calling the cat. Alec heard gentle thuds coming from the hallway and saw Chairman Meow prancing towards his owner.

“Come here, darling,” Magnus patted his lap and the cat jumped up, curling up into a fluffy circle. Magnus smiled warmly and scratched between the cat’s ears.

“Aw, he’s adorable,” Alec gazed in fascination at the fuzzy little creature.

“You can pet him, if you'd like,” Magnus invited. Alec cautiously placed his hand on the cat’s back, feeling it's soft black, white and orange fur. The corners of Alec's mouth quirked up.

“Do you have any pets, Alexander?” a warm, fuzzy feeling pulsed through Alec from the use of his full name.

“No, uh, there aren't any pets allowed in the Ins- at my house,” Alec but his lip nervously, glad that he didn't actually say ‘Institute’.

“Oh, that's unfortunate,” Magnus scanned Alec's face. “You seem like someone who would love cuddling with a fluffy animal.”

Alec laughed, shaking his head. “No, I'm not a cuddly guy.”

Magnus's eyebrows perked up. “Is that so? How tragic.”

“Why is that tragic?” Alec took another sip of his drink, not breaking eye contact.

“Well, I was hoping that we’d cuddle on my couch while watching Project Runway reruns?” Magnus's eyes twinkled in the dim light, reflecting the burning candles that Alec could have sworn weren't there when he got to the loft.

“Who says I don't like lying on the couch with a certain glittery man?” Alec mentally patted himself on the back for not stuttering like an idiot in attempt to flirt.

“Alexander,” a teasing smirk spread through Magnus's face. “You intrigue me.” He got up from the couch to retrieve the TV remote and picked up a nearby blanket.

Alec bit his lip. “You weren't kidding, huh?"

Magnus threw the blanket over them and smiled proudly. “Nope.”

Alec shook his head lightly and set his drink down on the table, moving a bit closer to the other man. Magnus turned on Project Runway and tucked himself underneath the blanket, taking Alec's hand in his; blood rushed to Alec's cheeks.

People dressed in designer clothes started walking on-screen, drawing in Magnus's attention. Unlike Magnus, Alec's attention was concentrated on the other man's glittery charcoal eyeliner, silver glitter-coated hair, and pink, plump lips.

Oh how Alec wanted to kiss him again.

Suddenly, Magnus turned his head to face Alec, feeling the intense stare. Alec looked away rapidly, pretending as if he wasn't just staring at Magnus - specifically his lips.

“Like what you see?” Magnus smirked.

Alec stumbled for words, his mind completely blank. “Uh, I-um, I wasn't, uh—”

He was interrupted by Magnus's lips clashing against his own. Alec made a surprised sound in the back of his throat but responded to Magnus with equal intensity a moment later. Every nerve ending in his body was alight as he slipped his tongue into Magnus's mouth. The kiss grew deeper as Alec's hands trailed up into Magnus's hair, the silver specks of glitter falling down onto his arms. He could taste the burn of alcohol on the tip of Magnus's tongue.

“Magnus,” Alec panted, desperately trying to catch his breath. Magnus rested his hands on Alec's hips as he pushed him backwards. Alec felt Magnus's legs on each side of his hips, and his jeans seemed to grow tighter by the second. He wrapped his legs around the other man's hips, connecting as much of their bodies as possible. Magnus kissed down Alec's jaw and neck, biting lightly at the sensitive skin. Alec let out a low whimper as Magnus tugged lightly at his hair.

“God, you're hot,” Magnus ran his hands under Alec's shirt and up his torso. Alec let out a breathless moan as Magnus pressed his crotch against Alec’s. He felt that Magnus was just as hard as he was, which reassured Alec that his want - no, _need_ \- is reciprocal.

Magnus raised himself and took his shirt off, throwing it to the floor and exposing smooth, honeyed skin. Alec couldn't believe that Magnus was straddling him, shirtless, on the couch in his loft. A sense of panic grew in Alec, making him question where all of their kissing would lead. By the Angel, Alec was not ready to be so intimate with another person, much less a man - a beautiful, breathtaking man.

Magnus must have sensed Alec's worry, since his smirk dropped and he placed his hands on Alec's shoulders. “Hey, are you ok?” Magnus cupped Alec's face, warm brown eyes studying him. “We don't have to do this if you don't want to.”

“I just- it's, uh, I’ve never, um,” Alec hoped that Magnus could read his mind so that he didn't have to say that he's a virgin.

“Alexander, its ok, I understand,” Magnus's smile was calm and understanding. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Alec's swollen lips. Alec slowly raised himself up, mentally thanking the Angel for meeting such a sympathetic man - anyone else in Magnus's position would have probably blamed Alec for leading them on.

Alec placed his hands on Magnus's shoulders and rubbed his thumb against them in gentle circles, aware of how little space there was between them.

“I'm not ready for, uh, _that_ , but I'm completely ok with making out for the rest of the evening,” Alec said, unsure.

Magnus's smirked returned. “I’d love that.”

A somewhat awkward silence hung between them, interrupted by Alec messily kissing Magnus and digging his hands in the other man's hair. This time, their kisses were slower, but filled with just as much passion as before.

For many hours, the two men kissed on the couch, taking few breaths and releasing many whimpers and moans, until Alec's phone rang. Alec managed to get up shakily, mind fuzzy and swirling.

“Hey Izzy,” Alec cleared his throat so that he sounded more casual and less raspy.

“Oo Alec, sounds like someone had a _hard_ night,” Izzy giggled.

Alec rolled his eyes. “I'm taking a walk right now,” he tried to sound stern, but knew that his sister wouldn't believe him.

“A 3 hour walk?” Izzy asked. “C’mon Alec, you don't have to lie to me.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Alec continued lying even though he knew it was pathetic. “I'm heading home, so I'll see you soon.”

“I plan on hearing details from you - juicy details about what you did with your boyfr—”

“Bye Izzy!” Alec ended the call and turned to Magnus.

Magnus held his half-finished drink in his hand. “Siblings?”

Alec sighed. “Yup.” He walked over to where his jacket and shoes were and slipped them on.

“I'll see you soon?” Magnus walked over to lean against the doorframe, his many necklaces draping over his gleaming chest.

“Of course,” Alec smiled and leaned in for a quick kiss before exiting the loft, unaware of Magnus staring at his ass unashamedly as he walked down the stairs.

He walked out into the street, and after walking into a dark alleyway he took out his stele and unglamoured his wings. A pair of midnight black wings came into existence, and Alec stretched them, finding a small staircase leading up onto the roof. _Perfect_. As he began walking towards the stairs, the unmistakable sound of dried leaves being crushed sounded behind Alec.

He turned around and came face-to-face with two unusually pale people - a man and a woman. They hissed, exposing their fangs, and before Alec could react, the woman - who was wearing blood-red lipstick and a matching minidress - lunged forward. She shoved Alec to the ground mercilessly and placed her high heel to Alec's throat. He tried to get up, but the vampire’s sharp heel only dug into his neck, piercing the fragile flesh. Alec winced as he felt his blood trickle from his neck onto the ground, painting it scarlet.

“A Nephilim. How cute,” the woman's voice was cold and venomous as she scanned Alec up and down like a piece of meet. Her eyes lingered on his wings and she smirked maliciously.

“Could you do me a little favor,” the woman looked at the other vampire, “and hold him down while I get a taste of him? Then we'll drag him to my place.”

Using the small moment of distraction, Alec grabbed the vampire’s foot and tried to push it off, until he felt a pair of ice-cold hands holding down both of his arms. He struggled against the grip, but his Nephilim strength was nothing compared to that of a vampire. The woman stepped towards Alec's head, kneeling down so that they made eye contact. Her eyes were outlined with heavy black eye shadow, accentuating her predatory stare.

“It's been a while since I had a taste of angel blood,” she said, dragging her long nails across Alec's cheek. She grasped his chin and tilted his head up, exposing his neck. Alec struggled against her hand as she dabbed the wound on his neck before licking off the blood on her fingertips.

“Oh, I could get used to this,” she said, as she dug her sharp fangs into Alec's neck. Alec cried out in pain, but as the vampire kept drinking, a warm feeling spread through him, numbing the pain with waves of pleasure. Even though Alec has never gotten high, he knew - _this is what it's like to be high_. He was half-conscious and all his senses felt dimmed when a figure emerged from the street, casting a shadow into the alleyway.

_“Camille?”_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Camille getting in the way of malec? Wow that's unexpected *sighs*
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter! I wanna know your thoughts :)
> 
> Kudos & comments are much appreciated ♥️


	4. Truth Revealed

The night air felt cold again Magnus's skin as he made his way down the street. He was supposed to meet up with Raphael at the Hunter’s Moon - a werewolf bar that Raphael rarely went to, but was always dragged to by Magnus.

It was relatively quiet, besides the occasional car or fluttering pigeon. As Magnus neared an alleyway, he heard the softest whimpering, luring him in. He turned to face the alley, where two people were leaning over a body. One of the people wore a bright red dress, which Magnus recognized immediately since Camille wore it to Pandemonium multiple times.

“ _Camille?_ ” his voice was filled with disbelief and horror as the vampire looked up from her victim, blood staining her mouth and chin. She stared at Magnus for a moment in pure shock, while the other vampire - who was holding down the person - seemed to not care, and barely even glanced up.

Camille shakily got to her feet, wiping off the blood from her face with the back of her hand. “Magnus, I wasn't planing on seeing you today,” she said nonchalantly. He tensed as Camille walked towards him, her eyes looking him up and down.

“Well, I wasn't planing on seeing you snack on a helpless mundane,” he said, his voice laced with venom. He glared at her.

Camille smirked maliciously. “Oh, darling, he isn't a mundane,” she licked her lips slightly, not affecting her crimson lipstick as it was already smudged beyond repair. “He's got angel blood and sexy, black wings.”

Magnus inhaled sharply. Attacking mundanes and drinking their blood went against the Accords, but attacking a Nephilim could get you killed.

“Camille, that could get you killed,” he scrunched his eyebrows in frustration. “You're an awful half-human with twisted moralities, but I still care enough about you to tell you to run before I haul your pathetic ass to the the Clave.”

Despite Magnus's obvious fury, Camille smiled as if she couldn't take him seriously. “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus,” she tutted. “Even after I broke your poor little heart you care about me?” she laughed in his face. “If anyone here’s pathetic, then it's you - you little law-abiding warlock scum who—”

She was interrupted by a blast of bright blue magic, knocking her against the furthest wall. Her head hit the brick wall hard enough to knock a mundane out, but she simply stumbled and sneered at Magnus.

“You should save your magic if you want to heal your precious little Shadowhunter,” she stepped over one of the Nephilim's wings, deliberately placing her heel against a fragile bone until a loud crack resonated through the alleyway. “C’mon, let's get out of here.”

Camille motioned for the other vampire to follow her as she stepped into the dim street and seemingly disappeared, although Magnus knew that she simply used her vampire speed. A moment later, it was just the two of them - a warlock and an injured Nephilim in a creepy alleyway. The perfect setup for a joke, but Magnus couldn't figure out the punchline. That is, until he walked towards the unconscious man, whose neck still leaked blood, that he saw who it was.

_Alec._

_No, that's not possible. A mundane with wings…?_

Magnus staggered back as he felt his heart clench. His already-broken heart that Camille carelessly stomped over cracked into a million more pieces. His back hit a wall, and he sunk down to the ground. His unshed tears blurred his vision as he took in the sight before him - Alec, covered in blood, unconscious, with a pair of obsidian-black wings sprouting from his back.

For an entire week and a half, Magnus let himself believe that he could be happy, for once. But, since the universe just loves playing cruel jokes on him, Alec just had to be a freaking Shadowhunter. Magnus's breath quickened, but no matter how much he breathed it felt like he couldn't get air into his lungs. He put his elbows against his thighs and dug his nails into his scalp so that he felt a rush of pain pumping through his head. The pain gave him something to concentrate on - something that wasn't Alec or the fact that his almost-boyfriend’s specie despised all downworlders.

Lilith, what will he do once he finds out that Magnus is a warlock? Oh, he’ll do the exact same thing that most people do - yell insults, walk away, and leave an empty sadness in Magnus's gut. The only reason that Magnus didn't get up and walk away from the bleeding Nephilim was because this was Alec. The same Alec who kissed him spontaneously under the moonlight, the same Alec who gazed at Chairman Meow with pure adoration, and the same Alec who, just a mere half hour ago, made out with Magnus on the couch while Project Runway played in the background. It all seemed so… mundane and perfect.

So perfect, that it was almost too perfect to be true.

➰

After wallowing in his sadness and racing thoughts, Magnus slowly got up, his legs shaky. He took a deep breath and slowly walked over to Alec, being careful to avoid his wings. _Alec’s wings!_ Magnus still couldn't get over the fact that he went on multiple dates with a freaking Shadowhunter.

He knelt down, eyes focusing on the open wound on Alec's neck. The neck that he kissed so, so many times that night. Focus, Magnus. Blue, sparkling smoke poured out of his fingertips and enveloped Alec's injury and broken bone, healing it within moments. There were still specks of dried blood on his skin and a pool of blood on the ground, which Magnus cleaned up with a flick of his fingers. He decided that it's best to move Alec to the Institute so that his siblings wouldn't worry. _Isabelle and Max… so Alexander’s last name_ is _Lightwood after all._

As gently as he could, he folded Alec’s left wing over his torso and slid his hands underneath Alec's back and thighs so that he carried him bridal-style. Alec was quite heavy, but it didn't bother Magnus. Alec's right wing stretched out in front of them, 5 feet of beautiful, black feathers on display. Magnus has never had an interest in Nephilim wings, but in that moment, Alec’s wings - a symbol of power, yet so fragile - enthralled the warlock.

Alec looked peaceful and innocent as his head tipped back, and his right arm dangled loosely beside his wing. Magnus managed to create a portal by flicking his fingers as little as possible as not to wake Alec. The vampire venom in his system caused him to fall asleep, whilst also feeling high.

He stepped through the portal, and after a moment of weightlessness and slight nausea, appeared in front of the New York Institute. Thankfully, nobody noticed him, but Magnus put a glamour on both of them nonetheless. He walked up to the front door, made a paper, pencil and blanket appear, and laid Alec down on the blanket carefully. He pushed the Nephilim’s wings very gently so that they weren't sprawled out. He scribbled a note that said “Alec got hurt, but he's healed now” and put it into Alec's hand, basking in the warm touch a moment more than necessary. Once he heard footsteps coming from inside the Institute, he unglamoured Alec but kept himself invisible.

The door swung open to reveal a very attractive girl with high heels and a silver whips in her hand - Isabelle, Magnus recalled - and, once her eyes darted to her brother, she leaned down and yelled, “Alec!”

Magnus began backing away as another Nephilim came to where Alec was. A blonde guy (John, or whatever his name was?) froze in shock as he looked over Alec and gently picked up Alec the same way Magnus had carried Alec minutes earlier and walked into the Institute, Izzy trailing closely behind him. As the door closed, Magnus created a portal to his loft and stepped through.

➰

“Alec?”

Alec heard his sister’s voice ringing through his throbbing head. He felt the rough fabric of his bedsheets and Izzy’s hand holding his. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Blurry shapes came into focus, and Izzy’s worried expression became more relaxed once they made eye contact. She brought her other hand to cup his face, his stubble rough under her fingertips.

“What happened?” Alec asked, his voice raspy. He cleared his throat.

“You were attacked, but someone saved you,” she smiled sadly and swept a strand of hair away from Alec's forehead.

Alec furrowed his eyebrows as a wave of memories came crashing into his mind. He remembered being attacked by vampires, bitten, a warm feeling, and a beautiful stranger yelling at the woman vampire. Except the stranger sounded familiar…

“Magnus.” The realization hit him before he could close his mouth. By the Angel, that means that Magnus saw his wings! He basically traumatized a poor mundane! His breath quickened.

The color drained from Izzy’s face as she gaped at Alec. “You mean Magnus Bane?” she asked, unsure.

Alec's confusion increased even more. “How- how do you know his- his name?”

Izzy looked away. “Magnus Bane is the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Alec.”

Alec froze. That's not possible. He made sure that he was dating a mundane, not a demon-blooded creature. His breathing stopped as a cold shock raced through his body.

“No, Magnus isn't- he's not a- a warlock,” he spat the word as if it were poison. His memories of kissing Magnus on the street, on the couch in Magnus's loft, of drinking coffee while stuttering like an idiot, of eating sushi from Magnus's plate - all tainted with disgust and regret.

Izzy looked at her brother sympathetically. “Was he the guy you said you were dating?” Izzy asked as gently as possible.

Alec shut his eyes to stop his unshed tears from spilling over. He gave Izzy a short nod, not trusting his voice to function as it felt awfully tight. _I was starting to fall in love with a fucking downworlder. How stupid_.

He turned away from Izzy’s touch. “Leave me alone.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Alec, are you su—“

“I said leave me alone!”

He lashed out, causing Izzy to stare at him in shock. She sighed and got up, closing the door behind herself. Alec was left alone with all his anger, confusion and shock. But, most of all, it was sadness - sadness that he couldn't be in a relationship with Magnus because it would bring shame to his family and destroy any chances of a successful future. He curled up, gripping the thin blanket, and tried to make sense of his and Magnus's relationship, which was in complete ruins - destroyed by their misconceptions and prejudice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, tell me what you thought about this chapter :) Also, yes, the title of this series is based on Magnus's inner dialogue in this chapter (which I planned out before Chapter 1)
> 
> P.s. I will update within a week or less


	5. Murder Case

Magnus sighed as he slumped down onto the couch, glass of whiskey in his hand. He swirled his drink, trying to distract himself from the thoughts of a certain Nephilim. Ever since he left Alec on the steps of the Institute a few days ago, memories of him have been following Magnus, and no matter what, every thought he had always led back to Alec.

He tried everything - drinking obscene amounts of alcohol, ranting to Catarina, and even looking for other attractive people that didn't remind him of Alec. Except, whenever Magnus saw a glint of brown, messy hair, hazel eyes, or even a black leather jacket, his heart leapt in hopes that it would be Alec. And his thoughts would be occupied again, and his craving for alcohol grew even more.

Catarina called him a pathetic mess, saying that Magnus always had a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve. Just move on, find a stupidly handsome mundane and forget about everything - that was his plan for some time, but then he remembered that that's exactly how he met Alec.

A sharp ringing snapped Magnus out of his reverie. He grunted as he got up to open the door. Just outside his loft stood Elias, calm and collected.

“Well hello, Elias,” Magnus let the other warlock in. “I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?” He hasn't seen Elias for many months, so it was strange that he just showed up on Magnus's doorstep.

Elias gave Magnus a cold smile as he leaned against the couch. “Good, good.”

An awkward silence hung between them for a moment.

“Did you want to discuss something?” Magnus walked over to the couch and sat down, crossing his legs.

Elias turned his body to face Magnus. “Yes, actually, I was wondering if you could give me that necklace that you gave Camille so I can pass it onto her.”

Magnus scrunched his eyebrows incredulously. “Wait, so you're actually friends with that heartless bitch?” he scoffed. “I cannot believe that you decided to show up at my loft to demand for a necklace that I gave to her.”

Elias rolled his eyes, clearly bored and annoyed. “Oh, you wouldn't understand, you little warlock.”

Magnus gaped at Elias, not expecting such venomous words. He raised his eyebrows in offense. “In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a ‘little warlock,” Magnus stated, smirking slightly. “I'm the High Warlock of Brooklyn, bitch.” He emphasized the last word by glaring at Elias. He usually tried to be nice to people, but if someone disrespected him, then his snarky side came out.

Elias laughed in his face, adding fuel to the burning pit of emotions that has been boiling in Magnus's gut for a while. “Not for long,” Elias grinned maliciously as he let out a bright sphere of purple magic, directing it towards Magnus before he even had time to react. A flash of light blinded Magnus for a second before he was knocked unconscious.

➰

“Pathetic High Warlock,” Elias muttered to himself as he stalked off towards the bedroom, leaving Magnus sprawled on the couch. His eyes darted around the loft in search of jewelry. As he entered the bedroom, he noticed a large array of necklaces, rings, and bracelets on a small wooden table. He walked over towards the jewelry and began shoving whatever he laid his eyes on into his pockets.

Looking around, he returned to the couch where Magnus was, still unconscious from the powerful hit of magic. Elias bent over the other warlock’s body, took out a pair of scissors that he brought with him, and snipped off a few strands of black hair. He placed the hair in a small plastic bag and left the loft in a hurry, shutting the door behind himself.

➰

“Alec, we’re on patrol this evening!” Izzy called out from behind Alec's door. “We’re supposed to leave in 10 minutes, so hurry up.”

Alec groaned as he got out of bed. He tried taking a nap, but the Clave clearly doesn't allow time for naps. He walked over to his closet and pulled on black pants and a black shirt, which was stained in demon ichor after yesterday's patrol. Usually, he went on patrol every other night, but after what happened with Magnus, he dove into work in attempt to distract himself. If he wasn't on patrol, then he was either throwing punches, training with his _parabatai_ , Jace, or practicing flight combat until his wings were so sore he could barely walk without sharp pain shooting through his back.

As he walked over to where Izzy was typing something onto one of the Institute’s computers, he caught Jace's glance. He quickly averted his gaze to his sister as to avoid another awkward conversation where Jace would ask Alec what's wrong, why he feels sadness and confusion radiating from his _parabatai_ rune, and what Alec has been distracting himself from by exercising intensely. Sometimes it was convenient that Jace knew Alec so well, but in other cases it seemed as if he knew Alec too well.

Izzy glanced up. “Hey. So, we're supposed to go investigate a crime scene because I'm the leading pathologist in this Institute, and I convinced our mother to let you go with me.” She smiled proudly.

Alec nodded as photos of dead bodies popped up on the screen. All the bodies appeared very pale, but it was difficult to tell from the copious amounts of blood that covered the victim’s necks and faces. Upon seeing a photo of a young girl - no more than 10 years old - lying dead on a sidewalk, a pang of sadness radiated through Alec.

“What happened to all of those people?” Alec furrowed his eyebrows.

Izzy's smile dropped slightly, turning serious. “Drained of blood. Mundanes, seelies, werewolves, and a few warlocks.”

Alec's concern grew. He heard that there was a chain of murders, which was why he went on patrol so often, but he never gave much thought as to what age the victims were.

“Oh wow, um, are we supposed to go to the crime scene of a recent murder?”

Izzy looked up and nodded. “23 year old mundane named Stephanie. Worked as a waitress in a café.”

Izzy then explained to him what she, as a pathologist, will be looking for so that Alec could also look for the same things. They walked through the Intitute hallways with a sense of purpose. Perhaps they could figure out who was killing and draining the blood of innocent people.

Once they were outside of the Institute they activated their glamour runes, making themselves invisible to mundanes. Izzy sprang up and soared into the air, her red-tipped black wings lifting her up. She always flew with a certain level of sexy confidence, and sometimes teased Alec about being so “freaking repressed” and overly strict.

Unlike Izzy, Alec methodically lifted himself into the air, wings fluttering gracefully. He gave Izzy a hopeful look and motioned for her to lead the way. She turned around and bolted to the right, leaving Alec in a state of confusion. He quickly realized that Izzy is teasing him, so he flew as fast as he could after his sister, his back muscles cramping slightly.

Despite the cool weather that pierced through Alec’s jacket, he felt hot. Perspiration began forming on his forehead as he continued soaring above New York. He could see all the traffic, rushing people, and colorful billboards from his altitude. After a few minutes, Izzy finally slowed down, allowing Alec to catch up.

“By the Angel, Iz,” he panted. “You can't just fly away from me at full speed.”

She turned slightly and grinned. “Or can I?”

Already knowing what his rebellious sister would do, he grabbed her by the shoulder before she could fly away from him.

“Such a buzzkill,” she pouted exaggeratedly.

He scoffed, letting go of her. Izzy’s eyes darted towards the ground, and she suddenly stopped. 100 yards below them was a dead body of young woman with blood caking her blonde hair. Alec slowed down, his attention focusing on the pale face of the victim. He and Izzy exchanged a worried glance before descending to the ground.

Luke told them about the body and it's whereabouts, which happened to be in an alley similar to where Alec was attacked. He made sure to divert the police department’s attention away from the murder cases, since he knew that a bunch of mundane police officers couldn't help as much as the Clave in the investigations.

Their feet made contact with the pavement, and they both relaxed their sore wings. Izzy immediately began walking towards the body. Her black heels - which Alec has no clue as to how they stayed on while flying - clicked against the ground, crushing the dead leaves noisily. After a small gasp she bent over the victim, her eyes scanning the lifeless body.

Alec’s concerned gaze lingered on the woman's face. For some reason, she seemed oddly familiar. He walked towards her carefully. A shiny name tag read “The Coffee Bean,” and below it said the woman's name - Stephanie.

It hits him - _The Coffee Bean._

_Our first date._

Unwelcome memories of Magnus came pouring into his mind like a flood, and Alec couldn't stop them. Images of gold liner, purple and red necklaces, bittersweet coffee, and smooth, caramel skin flashed in his head.

_Focus, damn it._

He took a deep breath in attempt to calm his racing mind. His eyes surveyed the crime scene as a glint of purple caught his eye. He walked past Izzy, who was placing something into a small plastic bag, and bent down near Stephanie’s feet. A necklace with round, amethyst beads laid on the ground, broken. The beads were scattered sporadically, contrasting against the dark pavement. Gently, he picked up the bracelet using a pair of tweezers that Izzy gave him and examined it.

A wave of déja vu washed over him for the second time that day. He inhaled sharply with the realization that he knew who the necklace belonged to.

_Magnus._

_No, Magnus isn't a part of a series of murders - he simply can't be._ No matter how much Alec told himself that there's no way that he ever actually liked a freaking warlock, his heart still clenched whenever he thought of Magnus. He tried to suppress it, to rebuild the walls around his heart and emotions by going on an unhealthy amount of missions and training vigorously; but no matter what he did, he found himself thinking about Magnus more often than he'd ever admit.

“Did you find something?” Izzy looked over at Alec, putting away the plastic bag into her pocket.

He considered saying that he didn't find anything for a moment, but realized that that would be protecting Magnus. “Yeah, there's a necklace here,” he held it up.

Izzy got up and walked over, being careful not to step on the victim’s outstretched arms. She took out another bag and handed it to Alec with a small smile. He took it and collected all the beads into the bag before giving it back to his sister.

“Alright, I just have to take a few photos and then we’ll go,” she took out her phone and proceeded to take multiple photos of the crime scene at different angles.

Alec stood off to the side, deep in thought about why Magnus's bracelet was on the ground beside a dead body. Despite being a warlock - a specie that is known to be selfish and egotistical - he didn't think that Magnus could be capable of murdering someone. However, he reminded himself, people change, and even the nicest people have a dark side.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update - I started high school and things kept distracting me from finishing writing this chapter :(
> 
> Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for not only being pacient while I take time to update, but also for your kind comments ♥️
> 
> Feel free to tell me what you thought about this chapter


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